The first thought when Niky announced "fossils" for the new Art Elements design challenge in November was obviously to look into the mirror.
I have been calling myself a fossil for a long time as I sometimes have the feeling I don't fit into this modern world very well ;-) Now that I'm sitting here I think I should have tried to do something with the idea, just for the heck of it, but the days have been slipping through my fingers in a most unproductive way, so it was much too late for it.
In fact I was late, anyway. Somehow I thought the month was much longer and that the reveal wouldn't be before the end of the month. When I was reminded of the actual reveal date, I almost panicked. It meant I HAD to make something on the weekend before because there was no chance for a last night action this time.
I did have several ideas, but a problem with the execution. Do you know those days when you feel time is running out and you just keep messing things up? Believe it or not, I started three pendants and cut all of them up again because I didn't like the asymmetry here and the setting there and why didn't that ammonite want to stay in there the way I wanted it to? I think I was just pushing it too hard, so I put both wires and the fossils away - ammonites in different sizes and a beautiful fossilized coral cab.
When the reveal date started hanging over me like a Damocles sword, I gave up on the wire.
Instead I took out a bottle and my Delicas. I have been making quite a few of those little beaded bottles lately, but the pattern I had in mind needed a bottle that was a little bigger.
I have been fascinated by dinosaurs forever. Which kid hasn't been? One of my favorite books was "Mamal" by Niels Meyn, a Swedish children's book from the 40s about one of the first mammals on Earth. I can't say how often I checked this book out and I was devastated when the library took it out of their stock. Thanks to the internet I own it myself now and can take a look at my favorite illustration, the fight between the T. Rex and the Triceratops. Sorry, Triceratops, children can be cruel and I know I didn't show enough grief for you having your belly ripped out by the T. Rex in the end.
Then there was Sir Arthur Conan Doyle's The Lost World from 1912. I read it back and forth and all over again.
I don't remember the title of the book with the girl and the German Shepherd that I think I got for Christmas. I do remember that the dog was supposed to be taken away, but wasn't in the end because he helped the girl finding some kind of fossil, not the crocodile she had hoped for, though.
You see, dinos and fossils everywhere!
I live only 10 miles from the Urweltmuseum Hauff, and my area has a lot of fossils to offer. One of the most amazing exhibits at the museum is the world's largest colony of sea lilies, but of course there is more. Even a crocodile! ;-)
So instead of using a fossil for a design, I decided to bead a fossil, inspired by my dino fascination and by the Jurassic Park logo showing a T. Rex skeleton.
Unfortunately I didn't stand a chance to finish it in time, so all I have to show today is a WIP. I'm still happy I got that far considering that I only had Sunday evening and a little time after work on Monday and Tuesday.
I chose a black background for the contrast as I used a mix of two slightly different beige colors for the fossil itself. I liked the look better than the idea of bleached white bones.
With more time on my hands I might even have tried a Triceratops fossil on the back to honor the fight from Mamal! ;-)
This is a blog hop, so please hop with me to all the other participants' blogs, so we can check out their posts and "fossil creations" together.
Guests
Beth and Evie - Cat (that's me ;-)) - Dawn - Divya - Kathy - Michelle - Sarajo - Tammy
AE team members
Jennifer - Jenny - Lesley - Niky - Susan
Usually I make a pendant first and then put a bail on it. In this case it was the other way round.
When I took some shorter wires out of my leftovers baggie the other day to turn them into a pair of earrings - in the end they became sparkly butterflies - I found a wire woven bail, so now I had to find something to put on there. I don't even remember putting it in there. Had I cut it off a different piece or was it one of those leftover wire projects I did in the hope of finding the right piece for it eventually? No idea.
I went to my stash drawers and tried a lampwork tree bead first, but it was too long. Then I thought a bigger mookaite bead would be nice, but the bead holes were too small on all of them.
Then I found the leopard. The leopard was another of those beads that I thought would never make their way out for lack of a good idea. I got it from Babs Beads & Design many years ago. I remember falling in love a whole group of "animal print" beads. I used one of them in a wire knit pendant in combination with some jasper, but the others patiently waited for their turn.
Sometimes things can suddenly be real easy. The wires on the bail had the perfect length, so why not let this little beauty shine on its own?
The funny part is that I had thought the exact same thing a few years ago. I used the bead in a ring with a wire woven band then which I had completely forgotten about. When I happened to see the picture in one of my folders just now, I remembered that I hadn't been all around happy in the end with the way the ring sat on my finger.
I like the bead much better in a pendant and think this could even be unisex, maybe on a leather cord. Now I just have to decide if I'll oxidize the copper to an even darker color although it is not as light as it comes out in this picture.
What do you think?
This week the topic for the Jewelry Artisans Community Oldies but Goodies Challenge was "timeless".
What kind of jewelry is timeless to you? Are there any stones, metals or other materials that never seem to go out of style? Designs, patterns, combinations?
My first thought are always pearls - a single knotted strand of beautiful pearls. Such a classic design, and even if some may think such necklaces to be the style of grandmothers, you will always see them. They go well with a more conversative look like a costume, they spruce up the famous little black dress, but they will look just as beautiful with a shirt and jeans, maybe in a smaller size.
Another possibility are diamonds. I'm not going to start the discussion about how diamonds were only pushed by the industry with the notion that an engagement ring should cost three months salary, I find that just as ridiculous. I also often hear friends of mine say that they don't like diamonds at all. So I'm outing myself here now. I do like them, but I like the look of a classic ruby, aquamarine or amethyst solitaire as well, too. I have chosen very different - also in price - stones on purpose, and that is not the complete list, either.
There is so much more, though. Eternity rings are timeless, many chain designs are timeless, hoop earrings are timeless, necklaces from round stone beads - graduated or not - of all kinds are timeless, and I could go on and on.
Beading, wire or metalsmithing techniques have been around forever (almost ;-)), and many designs are so old, it's incredible.
Here are some challenge pieces now that we JAC members think are timeless.
1 Jewelry Art by Dawn
2 Bijou Bead Boutique
3 RioRita
4 Cat's Wire
Among the glass beads a friend from Prague had sent me a while ago (for me a while can be anything between two days and two years) were two twisted glass ornaments, a short green one and a long purple one.
It would have been easy to put a hook on them to hang them on my Christmas tree or turn them into little pendants, but I'm not always going for easy, so I waited and waited and waited some more for my muse to turn on her brain and come up with something.
The only thing I knew from the start was that they wouldn't become jewelry which probably had to do with childhood memories.
My best friend's grandfather always had two trees. There was one in the big room and there was a smaller one in the playroom. It had a stand that had a music box and rotated - I don't remember what melody it was, I'll have to ask my friend - and it was decorated with beautiful vintage twisted glass icicles.
At least that's how I remember it, and ever since twisted glass, even if it's not clear, makes me think of that Christmas tree.
I know, some of you will think it's too early, but firstly we don't celebrate Thanksgiving here, so that's not a reason for me to wait, and secondly, it would be really hard to get everything done if I don't start before December!
The idea for these ornaments finally came from the peyote rings I had been making.
All of the components are stash, even some of the thread has been in my drawer unused for several years, not to mention the bubble lampwork beads that have been with me for even longer. Compared to those, the Delicas are rather new.
Unfortunately it proved quite hard to take a good picture because it's November grey here today and because the size and colors are so different. In case you can't see it well, the green ornament has got a little white peyote tube and an almost clear bubble bead, the purple one has metallic fuchsia beads and a pink bubble bead.
Maybe I'll give these two away as gifts, Ponder had already that glint in his eye saying how much he is looking forward to play with them. The twisted glass is attached to the wire that runs through the lampie and the peyote tube in a way that allows it to dangle, absolutely irresistible for my old man who likes to think he's still a kitten! ;-)
Another reason is that my little tree is running out of space. "You're gonna need a bigger tree!" my mind keeps telling me, but the spot on the stairs is so perfect for the little one.
First world problems!
Guess what our topic for the Jewelry Artisans Community Oldies but Goodies Challenge was this week ;-) You got it, earrings!
I know, it's not the first time that I've shown you earrings from the Oldies but Goodies, but earrings have always been a big favorite with humans and that hasn't changed one bit. I said humans because earrings have never been just for women even if there were times when men were looked at somewhat suspiciously by some people if they wore earrings.
Who thought of taking something sharp and run it through an earlobe to hang something on it? No idea, but at least that method has changed a little. Maybe I am just a wimp, though. The thought of a needle and a potato doesn't make me happy, I probably still wouldn't have pierced ears if that had been the only option!
And here's my collage for this challenge now, beautiful earrings crafted by my fellow JAC members.
1 Bijou Bead Boutique
2 Ganison Atelier
3 MC Stoneworks
4 Cat's Wire
5 The Crafty Chimp
6 RioRita
7 Jewelry Art by Dawn
